When two verbs appear together in a sentence, the second verb can be in the form of a gerund (-ing

form) or infinitive with to. In this lesson, we will only explore verbs that must be followed by a gerunds
and express ideas of like and dislike.

Each member of the troupe was asked to consider whether or not we

should postpone the show until more rehearsals could be held to

improve their performance. Everyone knows that actors adore getting 

attention, so many of the players couldn't bear thinking about a

delay. However, a few spoke up, reminding their colleagues that while

audiences love attending shows that are well prepared, they abhor

seeing poorly performed work. Furthermore, critics enjoy writing 

horrible reviews when they believe that a prospective audience needs

to be warned that they might despise seeing a show. No one there

fancied seeing his or her name in an unflattering review, so although

they might have fancied not delaying the opening night, they came

to a consensus to swallow their pride and postpone it.

Expressing likes

To like and To love

To like something or someone is to have an affinity for it, to enjoy or admire it. If you like something
very much, you love it. The verb to love implies a stronger feeling. When you love something, you
have moved beyond just liking it.

I love painting beach scenes, but not the typical sunsets that you see in all the seaside art shops. I
prefer to paint people who are arriving at or leaving the beach to include the aspect of human
movement in my art.

It is obvious that Elsie, my young niece, loves hearing how well she performs in her piano recitals.
She can't hide the proud grin on her face when she receives a compliment on her playing.

To adore

While you'll hear love very often in conversation, adore is less common, and indicates a stronger
feeling than love. To adore something or someone is to have strong feelings of affection or delight in
it. Sometimes it may be used as a way to exaggerate.

It was remarkable for me to discover that my friend adores listening to opera while she is riding in
her car on the way to work each day.

I simply adored riding bicycles all around the island during our summer vacation this year. There is
something great about getting both physical exercise and viewing beautiful scenery at the same
time.

To enjoy

Another way to say that you like something is using the verb to enjoy, which means to take pleasure
in doing it.

I enjoy listening to jazz music more than any other genre. This is probably because that is what my
father listened to, and I have many happy memories of tuning in to the radio together as he
explained the great jazz artists to me.

While some might find it hard to believe, my brother really does enjoy running long distances in
inclement weather. While others can't tolerate poor conditions, he says that the cool rain and grey
skies are calming to him.

To fancy

If you fancy something, you also take pleasure in it, or you would like to have it. It expresses a wish or
desire. This expression is not generally used in American English, but it is very common in British
English.

Do you fancy taking a walk after supper, or would you rather just sit and read quietly this evening?
It is getting dark quickly, so we need to decide.
 If you want to use the positive like, but express that you like not doing 
something, the word not must come in between the two verb forms.

At times, I fancy not working and staying at home with the children for
a few years, but I hold back because I also realise that I would miss my
colleagues if I chose to do that.

To feel like

When you have a desire to do something, you can use the expression to feel like. It is usually used to
talk about something you'd like to do at the moment of speaking.

I feel like celebrating after making it through a hard week that included two important work
meetings, a charity run, and several appointments for my kids.

Remember you have to use the verb ending in -ing after prepositions.
So you can also express you like something using phrases such as be keen
on, be fond of, be crazy or mad about,...

The football coach wasn't keen on having him in the team, since he was 

fond of creating arguments with coaches and fellow players, according
to his reputation.

I'm not really crazy about going on holidays with my parents. They are
very fond of cruising, which I don't find as enjoyable as others do.

Expressing dislikes

To detest

One way to express that you dislike something very much is to use the verb to detest. When you
detest something, you have an aversion to it or you hate it.

My mother detests waiting in lines, so I try to avoid shopping with her during the holiday season
when she is sure to be extra frustrated with salespeople.

I know this is unpopular, but I secretly detest texting and would rather have a phone conversation
than type out cryptic messages to my friends and family.
 If you detest or dislike something very much, you loathe it.

Our team leader has made it clear that she has certain expectations for
those working on the current project. We all loathe arriving late to any
of the scheduled meetings, because we know she will be very angry.

I was always a good student who enjoyed his studies, but for someone
reason I loathed learning about poetry. Today, I wish I had learned to
enjoy it instead of being so negative.

To despise

To despise something is to hold it in very low regard or to dislike it very strongly.

While John could not be described as someone who despises fishing, he certainly would not choose
to participate in the activity if he could avoid it.

I do not mind getting to know others if there is already a worthwhile conversation going on, but I
have to admit that I really despise networking and small talk.

To abhor

A similar verb would be to abhor. It means to be disgusted with and it is usually used when you think
something is morally wrong. It's not very commonly used in conversation.

I can tolerate mischievous behavior in my children, but I abhor lying. I regularly explain to them
that trustworthiness is one of the most important qualities a young person can acquire and that
lying destroys that opportunity.

Some people abhor receiving sales calls so much that to get rid of them they are calling for
legislation that will allow them to block companies from contacting their home or mobile phones.

Can't stand and Can't bear

If you can't stand or can't bear something, you do not like it or do not want to experience it.

If we are eating out, I always beg my family to plan the meal very early in the evening, since I 
can't stand waiting in long restaurant lines. we have a pact to do so for special occasions like
Mother's Day, when the lines are even longer.

I can't stand calling off the surprise party when everyone has worked so hard to organize it, but I
worry that Michael already suspects something.

Shelly can't bear seeing stray dogs on the street. She always takes them in and tries to find them
a good home.

I feel bad for a new acquaintance at work who has a pet that is suffering at the moment. She can't 
bear
 seeing him in this state, which I think is totally understandable.

You can also use the verb to mind to indicate that you dislike something or
are bothered by something. This word indicates a dislike that is not as
strong as the previous examples. It's often used in questions to ask if
someone else dislikes something. It's also very common to hear the
negative form, not mind, to indicate that something is okay.

It bothers some people, but my colleagues and I do not mind listening 

to music during the day as long as it is not loud.

The man in the cafe was asked if he would mind watching a fellow

customer's things while he ordered a coffee at the counter. He seemed
uncomfortable, but he agreed to do so.